Happy Friday!

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Notebook with text " It's Friday!" with empty coffee cupHow is everyone’s first week going? Does this long weekend mean catching up on your online courses? Remember online courses at NOVA Online require firm assignment due dates, so make sure you are sticking with your weekly schedule so you are not administratively withdrawn from your course(s). Know your Critical Enrollment Dates, including your First Assignment Due Date!

Reminder: NOVA Offices are closed Monday, January 18 in observation of Martin Luther King, Jr Day. Join NOVA for the seventh annual NOVA SERVES: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Sign up to volunteer!

First Day of Class Reminders

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Happy First Day of Classes, NOVA Online Students!

Today’s first day blog is provided by student blogger Rebecca! She has been taking NOVA Online classes for two semesters and has some tips to help new NOVA Online students get started in fall classes.

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m scrambling to finish a paper by the 5pm deadline. I am just about to submit my paper at 4:55pm but I decide to proofread it one more time. By the time I finish it is a couple minutes after 5pm. Okay, I’ll go submit it now. It’s only two minutes, right? WRONG! As I click on the assignment I am startled to discover that the submission page has disappeared off of blackboard!

Yes, this did actually happened to me last semester. Luckily I emailed the professor and was able to turn in my assignment, although I did lose a lot of points. Don’t let this happen to you!

Online classes are great because they let you have flexibility in your schedule. However without a physical class everyday to remind you what is due, it’s easy to get behind if you don’t pace yourself. My #1 tip for students new to online classes is keep track of your course deadlines and your professor’s policy on deadlines.

Here are five things to look for on your syllabus:

  1. What day of the week and time are assignments due? The day and time of deadlines may vary for different courses. In my experience most classes have Sunday deadlines but the times may vary. For example, last semester one of my courses had a Sunday 5pm deadline, another had a Sunday 11:59pm deadline and another had a Monday 6am deadline. It’s helpful to write deadlines on a calendar (especially if you are taking multiple courses, so you don’t get caught off guard by a busy week)
  2. Are there any midweek deadlines? Once in a while there may be a group project or discussion board posting with a midweek deadline, leaving time later in the week for comments.
  3. Are there strict deadlines? Some professors have strict weekly deadlines while others will accept all work right up until the course end date.
  4. Do exams have to be taken during a certain window? Are exams only available for a limited time? Can you take them early or late?
  5. Does your instructor accept late work? Some instructors will let you turn in work a day or two late if you email them and explain the situation. Other instructors will accept late work but take points off. Others are very strict about deadlines and will not accept work even a minute late.

We’ve all been there: You have a busy week and struggle to find the time. You have last minute computer problems. These things can and will happen. Avoid a stressful situation by learning about your Critical Course Deadlines, course specific deadlines, and professor’s late and grading policy before you are too overwhelmed!

Get ready for your first day of spring classes!

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As you are preparing for your spring term online courses, it is important to keep in mind the importance of attendance and participation. In fact, your attendance and participation is not just important, it is required. Be mindful of Critical Course Deadlines and course specific deadlines so you don’t miss any assignments and fall behind in your course work.   null

Instructors make courses available in blackboard the first day the course is scheduled to begin, or sometimes a few days in advance. If your course begins today, Monday, January 11, you may not see your course in Blackboard until that day. If you are scheduled for a later starting NOVA Online course (January 25, February 1, etc) you may not see your course until closer to that start date.

As soon as your class begins, log into Blackboard and explore your course in Blackboard. Use this opportunity to locate and review the course syllabus and assignments folder. This will give you a chance to see what you will be responsible for throughout the semester. In addition, this will also allow you sufficient time to plan your time appropriately, making certain you will be able to complete your readings, assignments, projects and tests in time for their specified due dates. It is crucial to ensure you have completed and submitted your first assignment prior to the First Assignment Due Date to avoid being administratively withdrawn from your course. 

Logging into Blackboard as soon as the semester begins will also give you the opportunity to identify any unexpected issues and provide ample time to ask any questions you might have.

If you have any questions or you are not sure where to start, join us for an NOVA Online Orientation Webinar. You can also contact the NOVA Online Student Success Coaching Team at 703-764-5076 or Student Services Team at 703-323-3347. We are more than happy to answer your questions, as well as refer you to useful resources and services that will support your online learning experience.

Motivational Minute: Accessing your Support Team

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Everything in life is a bit easier to handle when you have the right people in your corner rooting for your success. Sometimes all it takes to stay motivated and self-assured is a simple “you can do it” from someone you know has your best interest at heart.  Lucky for you, your NOVA Online Student Success Coach team  is here for that purpose! All you have to do is reach out and tell us what you need.

support comic

NOVA Online Success Coaches are here to help you get the most out of your time with NOVA Online by linking you to a wide variety of resources (i.e. tutoring, webinars, etc.) and strategies to promote your success. Success Coaches help students manage the many factors that impact student success, i.e. balancing personal life and school, stress management, study skills, test-taking and time management strategies, etc. NOVA Online Success Coaches are here to listen and work collaboratively with you to increase your access to opportunities and resources in order to improve your academic performance and enhance your online learning experience.

Here are a few resources from your coaches that you can access now:

Smarthinking free online tutoring

StudentLingo webinars

Quizlet study/test-taking assistance

Article provided by NOVA Online Success Coach, Jennifer Reed.  For more resources, please reach out to your NOVA Online Success Coaching Team by sending an email to elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Connect with your Faculty Advisor

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Your Faculty Advisor is a valuable asset in your academic journey. They can provide insights and recommendations based on their education and real world experience. Take advantage of their knowledge and expertise in your program of interest!

If you do not have an assigned advisor, click here for more information on how to have a Faculty Advisor assigned.

Plan early for your next semester with your Faculty Advisor and have your spring courses selected and be ready to register on your Priority Registration date. This will give you the best chances at getting the courses you need. Registering early will also be beneficial for students who use NOVA’s TMS payment plan allowing for a lower down payment and more months to break up your remaining tuition balance.

How can my Faculty Advisor help me?

  • Create an academic program completion plan, which maps out which courses you need to take for your major/program of study.
  • Select which electives will support your academic goal/career plans.
  • Connect with NOVA resources you need and make referrals.
  • Submit the appropriate forms for substitution requests or changing your major.
  • Reflect on your academic performance, so you can be successful.
  • Serve as a reference or assist in preparing letters of recommendation for applications (transfer, employment and scholarship).
  • Review your academic progress to help assure you complete your program based on your goals

How do I address my Faculty Advisor?

  • Address the Faculty Advisor as “Professor and their last name.” If you know they have earned a Ph.D., or Ed.D. address them as “Doctor and their last name”. (i.e. Professor Jones or  Dr. Smith).
  • Be sure to send your email from your NOVA student email account and include your Student ID number.
  • As a NOVA Online student, you may not meet your Faculty Advisor in person. Project yourself as a professional and dedicated student by composing a well-organized and thoughtful email. Take advantage of these Ten Quick Steps to Email Your Instructor.

What can I include in my correspondence to my advisor?

  • Outline topics or questions you would like to discuss. (i.e. transfer plans, career opportunities, extracurricular/club involvement).
  • Review your program requirements in the catalog and ask any questions you may have about unsatisfied requirements.
  • Identify courses you may be interested in for the upcoming term and year.

Suggested Questions and Topics to discuss:

  • What courses do I need to complete my academic program?
  • What are the prerequisites for the courses I plan to take or where can I find them?
  • I would like to discuss my academic goals.
  • What do I need to know about transferring? Are there deadlines and scholarships?
  • I need a tutor.  How do I find one and access other services when I need help?
  • I need to work. How can I arrange my classes around my work schedule and how will working impact my studies?
  • I am interested in participating in extracurricular and co-curricular activities.  Can we discuss my academic goals and extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
  • Ask your advisor to share how they chose their major in college.

The last part of the semester is always hectic, and the holidays are coming up! Reach out to your faculty advisor now!

Attend a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar.  Learn more about the webinar and register for an upcoming session here. Undecided or just getting started on your degree plan? Talk to an Academic Counselor to help you get started with your spring term classes. NOVA Online Counselors can be reached at NOVA OnlineCounselors@nvcc.edu.

Written by NOVA Online Student Success Coach, Laura Tiglao.

Happy New Year!

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Northern Virginia Community College has re-open from Winter Break!

Have you registered for your Spring term courses? There is still time to work with an academic counselor and register.

Registration: If you have not registered, Spring 2016 registration is still open. Search the online catalog to see what options you have for online courses. If you need assistance with your course selection, NOVA Online Counselors can be reached at, elicounselors@nvcc.edu. Emails will be answered in the order they are received.

Pre-requisites Satisfied at another College: If you are attempting to enroll in a course at NOVA for which you believe you have successfully completed (a grade of “C“or higher) the required pre-requisite(s) at another regionally accredited institution, you will need to submit a copy of your unofficial transcript to a NOVA Online counselor for review. Using your NOVA email, send an email to the counselors at: elicounselors@nvcc.edu. Include the following information with your unofficial transcript:

  • NOVA seven digit student identification number (EMPLID)
  • The specific course that you are registering for (Example: ENG 111 E55N, #45689)
  • The best way to contact you – email or phone

Requests are reviewed and processed in the order in which they are received. You should expect to receive a response about your request within three business days.

Blackboard Course Availability: Instructors make classes available in blackboard on the first day the course is scheduled to begin, or sometimes a few days in advance. If you are visiting Blackboard to access your Spring 2016 class, you may not have access until closer to the start date.

NOVA Online Orientation: This one hour live online instructor session will focus on getting started in your courses, navigating your Blackboard course site, and identifying tips for success and student support services. The NOVA Online Orientation is highly recommended for students who are new to online learning. Register or Request a Recording Today!

Course Start Dates: Make sure you know your course start date and critical enrollment dates! Don’t miss your first assignment due date!

Welcome back and we wish you a positive and productive year! Contact the NOVA Online Success Coaches if you have any questions as you are getting started in your online courses. They can be reached at NOVA OnlineSuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076.

Join us for a NOVA Online Orientation webinar

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Are you enrolled in your first online learning course this spring? Or, have you taken an online course previously and want to ensure that you are headed in the right direction? Do you have any questions about using Blackboard to complete your NOVA Online course? A great place to start is with the NOVA Online Orientation webinar. 463461567A webinar is a live, online instruction session. You can participate in a webinar from any computer or mobile device with Internet access and speakers. A microphone is not required as we will use a text chat for all questions. Participation in all webinars offered through NOVA Online is free, but registration is required. Register for a live session or request a copy of the recording on the NOVA Online Webinar webpage.

The NOVA Online Orientation webinar is a live, one hour online instruction session that focuses on getting started in your NOVA Online courses, navigating your Blackboard course site, identifying tips for success, and highlighting student support services. During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you have before you start your course.

The NOVA Online Orientation will cover an overview of navigating your Blakcboard Course Site. Instructors make courses available on the course start date or sometimes a few days in advance. If you haven’t used Blackboard in the past, you may be interested in some short videos to review how to submit an assignment, post on discussion board, check grades, etc.

The web conference tool we use at NOVA Online is Blackboard Collaborate. You can test your connection ahead of time by following the steps in this NOVA Online Student Blog post. http://blogs.nvcc.edu/elife/2014/06/16/how-to-log-into-a-blackboard-collaborate-session/

Connect with NOVA Online on Facebook and Twitter for tips for success in your online courses. NOVA Online Student Success Coaches are available for any questions as you are getting started. Reach out to them at NOVA OnlineSuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076.

Starting Today: Purchase course materials using financial aid

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Today is the first day to use your access Financial Aid to purchase required course materials in the campus bookstore. Make your arrangements early so you have your course materials for your course start date!

Students with financial aid awards for Spring 2016 can purchase textbook and other required course materials against their excess financial aid–either online or in campus bookstores—from December 28, 2015 through February 2, 2016 (updated date from snow days), the 16-week (term) census date.  A second book purchase period will be open for students who still have anticipated aid from two weeks before the second 8-week term through that term census date, February 29 through March 22.

Students wishing to purchase books on-line must complete and sign the Bookstore Authorization E-Form, via the Financial Aid Dashboard, prior to completing a purchase.

**If you completed this form for Fall 2015, you do not need to resubmit the form. Any forms completed prior to Fall 2015 will need to be re-submitted for Spring 2016.

Students enrolled or planning to enroll in later starting classes who desire to use their financial aid to purchase books must purchase during one of the two purchase periods; no additional accommodations will be made. The financial aid process must be complete and anticipated aid must be enough to cover tuition, fees and books. Files can have no negative holds.

First Book Purchase Period

–          First day to purchase books/supplies using financial aid: December 28, 2015

–          Last day to purchase books/supplies using financial aid: January 28, 2016

Second Book Purchase Period (for students with remaining anticipated aid)

–          First day to purchase books/supplies using financial aid: February 29, 2016

–          Last day to purchase books/supplies using financial aid: March 22, 2016

zNOVA Online digital open course

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Have you registered for your courses for next term? Are you interested in taking a class that doesn’t require you to purchase any textbooks or course materials? A zero textbook-cost NOVA Online course, or zNOVA Online digital open course might be right for you!

Mobility conceptNOVA Online offers several online courses that do not require students to purchase textbooks or other course materials. These zNOVA Online courses use Free Digital/Open Educational Resources (OER) instead of expensive textbooks. You can try one or two zNOVA Online courses, or even complete an entire AS degree track without having to purchase textbooks. Instead of requiring traditional textbooks, all readings and materials used in the courses will be available to students free of charge online as OER, or through NOVA’s digital library resources.

Are you ready try a zNOVA Online class? Just look for the notification in the notes section in the online schedule of classes stating: This is a digital open course. No textbook purchase required.

Save time and money with a zNOVA Online Digital Open course! For more information about registering for NOVA Online courses, contact the NOVA Online Counselors at elicounselors@nvcc.edu or 703.323.2425.